A Mouse Model for Evaluating the Contribution of Fibrocytes and Myofibroblasts to Airway Remodeling in Allergic Asthma

What is it about?

Description of a murine model of chronic allergic asthma for evaluating the functional role of fibroblasts, myofibroblasts and their progenitor cells (fibrocytes) in this disease and for testing the inhibitors effects of novel therapeutic candidates. Mice are systemically sensitized to ovalbumin and then chronically exposed to this antigen by natural inhalation in an exposure chamber.

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Why is it important?

This model of chronic allergic asthma is to be preferred to other published models involving the intranasal inoculation of high doses of house dust mite extracts or other allergens with protease activity and/or direct pro-inflammatory effects. Such doses are very high in comparison with the concentrations inhaled by allergic asthmatics in vivo and can non-specifically induce epithelial cell injury and inflammation. Therefore, it is difficult to evaluate if the airway recruitment of cells from the peripheral blood (fibrocytes and leukocytes) in those models represent a mere response to injury similar to that observed in the wounded skin or an authentic allergic response.